All,
The high-power launch scheduled for Saturday, December 21 has been cancelled due to the field being too wet. Our next scheduled launch is January 25, 2025. (Don't forget and keep writing 2024 on your flight cards!)
Author Archives: Dan Crank
Green light for Elsberry launch this Saturday
All,
We officially have landowner permission for our launch Saturday in Elsberry. Please refer to the earlier announcement for details. If you have questions or need to let Mike know about high-altitude flights, need for the monster pad, etc., please email him at mrwalsh85@gmail.com.
High Power Launch Announcement – November 23, 2024 (weather permitting)
November 23, 2024 - ELSBERRY HIGH POWER ROCKET LAUNCH
Launch Director: Mike Walsh
Contact info: mrwalsh85@gmail.com
Date and time: 11/23/2024, pending landowner permission due to weather forecast for the week leading up to the launch. The waiver will be active between 10:00 AM CST and 4:00 PM CST.
If a cancellation is made, we will do our best to communicate as early as possible, but no later than Friday evening. Cancellation announcements will be made via the website and Facebook webpage.
Location: Elsberry, MO.
Our waiver will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The range may or may not remain open until 4:00 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we want to fly.
Our waiver is 6,000′ AGL with call-in windows to 14,000′ AGL.
Note: We would like to try to minimize impact to FAA traffic, so please email Mike Walsh if you will need a window for your flight so we can try to group the flights together.
The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 9:00 am for us to begin setup. We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please plan to arrive early if you can.
There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a ten minute drive into town for fuel, food and restroom.
For current SLRA members, there will be no launch fee for Low-Power Rockets (also called Model Rockets, or Class 1 rockets, with 1/4A up to G engines. High power fees will be $5 for the day.
If you’re not a current SLRA member, low power rocket fees are $3, and high power fees will be $10.
We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8′′ model rocket rods up to 1515 rails. If you have any special needs, such as the monster pad (M capable), please contact Mike Walsh as soon as possible so we can arrange to have the monster pad there.
If you are wanting to make any of the following flights, please reach out to Mike Walsh (contact info above) as soon as possible:
● A certification attempt, whether with NAR or TRA. Please include details such as Name, Certifying Agency, What level you want to attempt, and if you are wanting to do a L2 attempt, please indicate if you have already taken the test, or need to take it onsite.
● A multi-stage flight attempt that is not black powder (i.e. using composites and electronic staging) with details of your flight.
● If you are a SLI team in need of a flight attempt
● As mentioned above, in need of a window for your flight ( Flights > 6,000′, and less than 14,000′)
As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including driving slowly on all farm roads. Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive and park. Do not attempt to drive on the field.
Launch site location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3
From the St. Louis area, take MO highway 79 north to its intersection with JJ. (If you get into the town of Elsberry itself, you’ve gone too far.) Turn right onto Old Highway 79, which is a gravel road. Old 79 will turn right again, but do not follow it – continue straight onto the farm road, across a wooden bridge. From that point, follow the signs. Please refer to the following two maps: the first map is the "usual" way; the second map is an alternate route we may be asked to use due to field conditions. When we confirm the launch, we will send another announcement telling you which route to use.
Elsberry launch is GO but bridge is out
I was just advised that the bridge we usually use to cross Lost Creek is out (or at least not open for our use) so use Hatfield Road (county highway 920) to go around the north side of the lagoon and then take the next two right turns (see Google Maps link). https://maps.app.goo.gl/1V6PFNiz3Pu5rhKj7
High Power Launch is Go for tomorrow
The latest from the field is that we expect to be able to launch tomorrow, but the landowner is going to check conditions at 7:00am and give us a final okay. If we do have to cancel, we will send out an announcement as early as possible. However, I think it is safe to turn the light GREEN on the website. Hope to see you there.
High-power launch in Elsberry – Saturday, March 23
We are going to try and have a launch next weekend. Hopefully we can stay ahead of of the storms that are forecast for Sunday through next week.
Launch Director: Mike Walsh
Contact info: mrwalsh85@gmail.com
When: 3/23/2024, pending landowner permission.
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
If a cancellation is made, we will do our best to communicate by Friday evening.
Location: Elsberry, MO.
Our waiver will be open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The range may or may not remain open until 4:00 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we want to fly.
Our waiver is 6,000′ AGL with call-in windows to 14,000′ AGL.
Note: We would like to try to minimize impact to FAA traffic, so please email Mike Walsh if you will need a window for your flight so we can try to group the flights together.
The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 8:00 am for us to begin setup. We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please plan to arrive early if you can.
We need a volunteer to bring the trailer to Elsberry by 8:00 AM the day of the launch. Please contact Mike Walsh if you can bring the trailer.
There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a ten minute drive into town for fuel, food and restroom.
Launch fees will be $0 for Low-Power Rockets (also called Model Rockets and class 1 rockets, with 1/4 A up to G80 engines) if you’re a PAID SLRA member, and $3 if you’re not a paid SLRA member; and $10 for High-Power Rockets up to an M motor. All fliers are required to fill out and sign a Tripoli waiver prior to flying, regardless of motor impulse.
We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8″ model rocket rods up to 1515 rails. If you have any special needs, such as the monster pad (M capable), please contact Mike Walsh as soon as possible so we can arrange to have the monster pad there.
If you are wanting to make any of the following flights, please reach out to Mike Walsh (contact info above) as soon as possible:
– a certification attempt, whether with NAR or TRA. Please include details such as Name, Certifying Agency, What level you want to attempt, and if you are wanting to do a L2 attempt, please indicate if you have already taken the test, or need to take it onsite.
– a multi-stage flight attempt that is not black powder (i.e. using composites and electronic staging) with details of your flight.
– If you are a SLI team in need of a flight attempt so we can understand the scope of your flights attempt prior to showing up at the field
– as mentioned above, a window for your flight ( Flights > 6,000′, and less than 14,000′)
As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including driving slowly on all farm roads. If a driving path is unmarked, do not assume it is an approved driving path! Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive and park. Do not attempt to drive on the field.
Launch site location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3
From the St. Louis area, take MO highway 79 north to its intersection with JJ. (If you get into the town of Elsberry itself, you’ve gone too far.) Turn right onto Old Highway 79, which is a gravel road. Old 79 will turn right again, but do not follow it – continue straight onto the farm road, across a wooden bridge (see map). From that point, follow the signs.
Elsberry launch tomorrow is on!
Barring any surprise rain overnight, the launch tomorrow is on. Please see the previous post for details and directions.
St. Louis Rocketry Association February 2024 High Power Rocket Launch
Launch Director: Mike Walsh
Contact info: mrwalsh85@gmail.com
When: 2/10/2024, pending landowner permission.
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
If a cancellation is made, we will do our best to communicate by Friday evening.
Location: Elsberry, MO.
Our waiver will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The range may or may not remain open until 4:00 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we want to fly.
Our waiver is 6,000' AGL with call-in windows to 14,000' AGL.
Note: We would like to try to minimize impact to FAA traffic, so please email Mike Walsh if you will need a window for your flight so we can try to group the flights together.
The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 9:00 am for us to begin setup. We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please plan to arrive early if you can.
We need a volunteer to bring the trailer to Elsberry by 9:00 AM the day of the launch. Please contact Mike Walsh if you can bring the trailer.
There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a ten minute drive into town for fuel, food and restroom.
Launch fees will be $0 for Low-Power Rockets (also called Model Rockets and class 1 rockets, with 1/4 A up to G80 engines) if you’re a PAID SLRA member, and $3 if you’re not a paid SLRA member; and $10 for High-Power Rockets up to an M motor.
We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8″ model rocket rods up to 1515 rails. If you have any special needs, such as the monster pad (M capable), please contact Mike Walsh as soon as possible so we can arrange to have the monster pad there.
If you are wanting to make any of the following flights, please reach out to Mike Walsh (contact info above) as soon as possible:
- a certification attempt, whether with NAR or TRA. Please include details such as Name, Certifying Agency, What level you want to attempt, and if you are wanting to do a L2 attempt, please indicate if you have already taken the test, or need to take it onsite.
- a multi-stage flight attempt that is not black powder (i.e. using composites and electronic staging) with details of your flight.
- If you are a SLI team in need of a flight attempt
- as mentioned above, a window for your flight ( Flights > 6,000', and less than 14,000')
As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including driving slowly on all farm roads. Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive and park. Do not attempt to drive on the field.
Launch site location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3
From the St. Louis area, take MO highway 79 north to its intersection with JJ. (If you get into the town of Elsberry itself, you've gone too far.) Turn right onto Old Highway 79, which is a gravel road. Old 79 will turn right again, but do not follow it - continue straight onto the farm road, across a wooden bridge (see map). From that point, follow the signs.
Elsberry launch cancelled
Well, we tried. Mother nature just did not cooperate.
The landowner has informed us that he does not want a club launch on his field tomorrow due to the rain we had overnight Friday night.
We will try again in January - date TBD. It will definitely not be the weekend of Jan 6-7. If you are not on the SLRA mailing list and would like to receive emails about upcoming high power launches, please email Mike.
Apologies for the duplicate emails, as I know some emailed me separately and indicated that they do not receive club emails. - but I wanted to make sure everyone gets the cancellation notice.
Thanks,
Mike Walsh
SLRA – Elsberry Launch pushed to Sunday 12/17/2023
Hello,
Given the weather forecast for this Saturday 12/16, we are sliding the launch by one day to Sunday 12/17/2023.
We will still set up around 9:00 AM for 10:00 AM launch time. We will have a flyer's meeting at the club trailer about five or ten minutes before the launch begins.
If for any reason the landowner decides the morning of the launch that we will not be able to access the field to launch, we will communicate via E-mail as soon as possible.
If you would like to receive a text message with a last minute cancellation message, please e-mail Mike (mrwalsh85@gmail.com) with your phone number and he will send out a group text message as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Mike Walsh
TRA Prefect for SLRA
NAR/TRA L3